hit squad: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1-C2Informal, often journalistic or fictional; associated with crime, military, and sometimes hyperbolic business/political contexts.
Quick answer
What does “hit squad” mean?
A group of people organised and sent to kill a particular person or people.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A group of people organised and sent to kill a particular person or people.
A small team deployed for a targeted, aggressive, and often secretive mission of attack, elimination, or sabotage. This can be used metaphorically in contexts like business (e.g., a team sent to close a failing factory) or sports (a team of talented players).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Spelling is consistent. Both varieties use the term with equal frequency in relevant contexts.
Connotations
Identical strong criminal/paramilitary connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in news media and crime fiction.
Grammar
How to Use “hit squad” in a Sentence
[The/Their/An] hit squad [verb: was sent, arrived, carried out, targeted]They formed a hit squad to [infinitive]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hit squad” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The gang leader was hit-squaded in a car park in Brixton. (informal/jargon)
- The journalist feared being hit-squaded by the regime.
American English
- The informant was hit-squaded in a Vegas parking garage. (informal/jargon)
- The company's profits were hit-squaded by the new regulations. (metaphorical)
adjective
British English
- He lived in fear of a hit-squad attack.
- The hit-squad operation was meticulously planned.
American English
- They uncovered a hit-squad plot.
- The report had a hit-squad intensity, targeting every flaw.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphorical: 'The CEO sent in a hit squad from HQ to fire the underperforming managers and restructure the division.'
Academic
Rare, except in political science or criminology papers discussing organised crime or state-sponsored violence.
Everyday
Very rare in casual conversation. Primarily encountered in news reports or crime dramas.
Technical
Used in law enforcement, intelligence, and military contexts to describe a specific type of operational unit.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hit squad”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hit squad”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hit squad”
- Using it to describe any group of attackers (e.g., a mob). A hit squad implies organisation, planning, and a specific target. Incorrect: 'A hit squad of fans attacked the referee.' Correct: 'A gang of fans...'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is primarily informal and journalistic. More formal equivalents in official contexts are 'assassination team' or 'kill team'.
Almost never in its literal sense, as it is intrinsically linked to murder. In metaphorical business use, it remains negative for those being 'hit' but may be viewed as efficient or necessary by those deploying it.
They are often synonymous. However, 'death squad' often carries a stronger connotation of being state-linked or ideologically motivated (e.g., political death squads), while 'hit squad' can imply contract killers for hire by criminal organisations.
It's a hyperbolic metaphor for a small team, often from headquarters, given the unpopular task of making severe cuts, firing people, or shutting down a project. It emphasises speed, ruthlessness, and a single focused mission.
A group of people organised and sent to kill a particular person or people.
Hit squad: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhɪt ˌskwɒd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhɪt ˌskwɑːd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Corporate hit squad (metaphorical)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a team (SQUAD) whose only goal is to HIT a single target. They don't fight armies; they HIT one person.
Conceptual Metaphor
BUSINESS IS WAR / AGRICULTURE IS VIOLENCE (e.g., 'They sent in a hit squad to prune the dead wood from the company.')
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'hit squad' used LEAST appropriately?